Second Chance – Peter Bjorn and John Second Chance – Peter Bjorn and John (Free Download / Buy)

That’s right, Peter Bjorn and John are back.  They’ve struck again in the form of Gimme Some, their latest full-length LP, which acts as a better followup to 2006′s Writer’s Block than the two releases that sit between them.

Although this Swedish trio’s first album came out in 2002, they really blew up with the release of their single “Young Folks” off of the previously mentioned Writer’s Block. Since that time, they have released a really well done album of instrumental works entitled Seaside Rock (2008), and Living Thing (2009), which is not a bad record, but didn’t seem to hit as hard as Writer’s Block. It was a more lazy and dark attempt, but thankfully, with this new LP, they’ve come up with a cohesive and slamming batch of songs.

There is no massive stylistic change or totally groundbreaking transition going on in Gimme Some, just well-written rock songs that groove all the way through.  Some wild and awesomely rigid drumming with super fuzz guitars act as the stellar main focus in most tracks.  As evidenced by the intros to “Dig a Little Deeper” and “Breaker Breaker”, though, there’s also a punk sensibility found in these uptempo songs, but with a more melodic sunny disposition.

Production has always been a strong aspect of Peter Bjorn and John’s material, hence the confidence to release an entirely instrumental album directly after a hit single (“Young Folks”), and they continue that trend here.  They make their songs sound expensive, but still capture a calculated lo-fi analog sound.  Somewhere between a more surfy Spoon and Wilco, this record kicks ass and will be a go to for summer jams.

The only song I’m not completely into is ‘Black Book’, which is a little too punk driven and monotonous for me.  I’m particularly geeking out over the second and third tracks,  though, “Dig a Little Deeper” and “Second Chance”, respectively.  ”Dig” supplies straight feel good pop, while “Second Chance” is centered on a monster guitar riff most of the way through, complete with a super sing-along chorus.  “(Don’t Let Them) Cool Off”, another of my favorites, sounds like a forgotten Tom Petty song, with driving drums and big guitar strums.  The bookends of the album have hooks that will totally have you participating (minus the Scandanavian accent), and if you don’t, there may be something wrong with you.